Trip to New Zealand & Australia

Time ahead of us is not infinite. Some dreams we have yet to fulfill should at least be attempted, and some places we have yet to visit deserve to be explored. This time, we chose two neighboring island nations in the Pacific—New Zealand and Australia.

We began planning our itinerary six months in advance—booking flights, hotels, ferries, and rental cars. It was no small task, requiring careful coordination of many details. Any miscalculation or unexpected change could invalidate all subsequent bookings. While some reservations are refundable, others are not. Any losses from non-refundable bookings, along with last-minute airfare at much higher prices, must simply be absorbed.

Some disruptions are caused by ourselves—for example, lingering too long at one stop and missing the check-in time for the next destination. These are things we try our best to avoid. Others are beyond our control—caused by external factors or nature, such as flooding.

During this trip, we encountered exactly such an uncontrollable disruption.

Our original plan was to fly into Auckland, rent a car, and drive south to Wellington. From there, we would take a ferry—with both ourselves and the car—from the North Island to the South Island. After exploring the South Island, we planned to ferry back to the North Island, drive back to Auckland, and then fly to Australia, where we would spend a week before returning to California.

However, on the night before we were scheduled to take the ferry from the North Island to the South Island, we suddenly received a message from the ferry company: the ferry had been canceled due to a mechanical issue. It was incredibly frustrating. The ferry was fully booked for the following days as well, leaving us no option but to change our plans. We urgently booked flights to Queenstown, rented another car there, drove to Christchurch, and then flew back to Wellington. From Wellington, we resumed driving the car we had left at the hotel and made our way back to Auckland.

Aside from this unexpected detour, the trip itself was incredibly successful and enjoyable. It was truly a unique and rewarding experience!

Since I took so many photos, I chose to post just one per day. Many other beautiful moments and stories will remain only in our memories.

 

 

Route Map of North Island, South Island, and Australia Coastline

 

 

From Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower, overlooking the harbor and the city.

And from the hill to overlook the harbor 

 

 

Holding Gandalf’s staff in one hand and embracing the Elven Queen with the other?

 

 

Walking the streets of Wellington. We made a special trip to dine at the famous Logan Brown restaurant for lamb chops. That same evening, we were informed the ferry to the South Island had been canceled.

 

 

We were supposed to be on the South Island, but due to the ferry cancellation, we were still exploring the North Island while waiting for our flight the next day.

 

 

 

 

 

Arrival in Queenstown on the South Island & Water activities.

 

 

 

 

Enjoying local specialties at a popular food spot.

 

 

 

 

At the southern tip of the South Island, visiting a scenic landmark.

 

 

Endless flocks of sheep scattered across the hills and plains along the journey

 

 

Staying at a farm lodge and feeding alpacas.

 

 

Adorable sea lions encountered along the road tp Christchuch

 

 

Christchurch city and nearby.

 

 

Scenes from the inland journey between Sydney and Melbourne

 

 

Street scenes in Melbourne.

 

 

Night view from our hotel in Melbourne.

 

 

Landscapes unfolding along the road from Melbourne to Sydney

 

 

The Sydney Opera House at night—showing a completely different charm.

 

 

Returning once again to the Opera House for Mahler’s Symphony No. 6..

 

 

Two hours later, the final note was struck. The concert ended—and so did our journey, perfectly.

 

 

Stepping out of the Opera House, we took one last photo. Early the next morning, we would begin our journey back to the United States.

Farewell, New Zealand.
Farewell, Australia.
Farewell, Sydney.
Farewell, Opera House.

Perhaps we will never return in this lifetime—but you will forever remain in our memories.